What Really Happens When a Survey Uncovers an Encroachment?

You order a survey, it comes back, and there it is: an encroachment. Before you panic, take a breath. This happens more often than you'd think, and it's rarely the disaster the word makes it sound like.

What Counts as an Encroachment?

An encroachment is just something crossing a property line where it shouldn't be. Maybe a fence sits a foot over the boundary. Maybe the corner of your neighbor's shed clips onto your land. Maybe a driveway spills onto the lot next door. Minor stuff like this is common, and a good property survey is exactly what brings it to light.

What Actually Happens Next?

Here's the real sequence. The buyer gets made aware of it. The title company flags the encroachment as an exception to the policy. And then, in most cases, they still go ahead and insure the property. They just won't insure that one specific encroachment. That's the whole story.

Is It a Deal Killer?

Almost never. People hear "encroachment" and jump straight to the worst case. In reality, a minor one is more like a footnote that all parties acknowledge and move past. It doesn't stop the sale.

Knowing how surveys and title work ahead of time keeps a small finding from feeling like a big problem. If you're buying or selling in the Enchanted Circle and something turns up on a survey, it's usually far less scary than it sounds.

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Have questions or want to learn more? Give us a call at 575-613-4243. We're happy to help.

Rob Swan | Qualifying Broker | Swan Realty Inc.